At the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev sharply criticized France, accusing it of colonial injustices in New Caledonia. Aliyev’s remarks led French Ecology Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher to withdraw from the summit, calling his statements “unacceptable.” Aliyev accused France of human rights abuses, referencing recent protests in New Caledonia, and denounced French colonialism over Corsica and other territories. Relations between France and Azerbaijan remain tense, with Paris condemning Azerbaijan’s policies toward Armenia and accusing it of stoking tensions in French territories.
Aliyev’s Criticism of France and Western Influence
Ilham Aliyev targeted France’s influence, labeling it as “colonial,” and condemned the European Union’s alleged political interference. He further called on France to release its “political prisoners” and claimed the EU and Council of Europe shared responsibility for alleged human rights abuses.
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France’s Response and Continued Diplomatic Tensions
Pannier-Runacher, France’s ecology minister, responded by calling Aliyev’s speech “deplorable” and reinforcing France’s commitment to climate negotiations through its team of diplomats still present in Baku. French-Azeri relations remain strained, partly due to France’s historical support for Armenia and its criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights record.
Ilham Aliyev’s speech, though contentious, was applauded by delegates from some Pacific island nations, highlighting ongoing tensions in global diplomacy at COP29.
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